Aquabike 2026: Kasza, Bossche, Chavanne, Al Mulla win in Shanghai

The 2026 UIM-ABP Aquabike World Championship has started in Shanghai, and it already has its first leaders. Gyorgy Kasza in Runabout GP1, Quinten Bossche in Ski GP1, Jessica Chavanne in Ski Ladies GP1 and Rashid Al Mulla in Freestyle all left China on top of their class. Aquabike, the sport of competitive jet ski racing, had not raced in China since 2019, when the championship stopped in Qingdao.

Runabout GP1: Kasza wins all three motos

Hungary's Gyorgy Kasza took a clean sweep: he won all three motos of the weekend, worth 75 points. In the final he grabbed the holeshot ahead of Francois Medori and Samuel Johansson, then stretched the gap: 5.053 seconds ahead on lap two, 14.821 seconds on lap four and 32.474 seconds at the flag.

Defending world champion Medori finished second overall with 64 points. Johansson completed the podium with 58 points, two more than Jeremy Perez (56).

Ski GP1: Bossche takes every point

In Ski GP1, Quinten Bossche did what he does best: he won. He took all three motos and collected the maximum 75 points, with a 48.575-second margin in the third. Jeremy Poret was second (64 points) and Valentin Dardillat third (60 points).

Ski Ladies GP1: Chavanne on top

Jessica Chavanne won the Grand Prix with 72 points and two moto wins. In the final she chose the outside line at the start, led from the beginning and crossed the line 7.247 seconds ahead. Estelle Poret was second (62 points) and Jasmiin Ypraus third (58 points), back in China where she had also finished second in 2019.

Freestyle: Al Mulla wins, Morgan impresses

In Freestyle, Rashid Al Mulla won both motos and the Grand Prix, scoring 223 points from the judges in the final. He had already won in China the last time Aquabike visited, in 2019. Rookie Demi Morgan made an impression: 187 points in the final and second place in her first Aquabike appearance, ahead of defending world champion Roberto Mariani, who was third.

What comes next?

The championship resumes in Olbia, Italy, according to Watercraft Journal. The four Shanghai winners will be the ones to catch.

The editorial team